Method of uniting metal.



Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

[film K) F1 bwk UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIHU THOMSON, OF SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 THOMSON ELECTRIC WELDING COMPANY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- SETTS.

METHOD OF UNITING METAL.

Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known, that I, ELIHU THOMSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Swampscott, in the county of Essex and.

State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methodsof Uniting Metal, of which the followinglis y a specification. p

lnventlon relates to an improved method of uniting an endless r1m,marg1n or frame to its center orbody or inclosureand its object is to secure a union oft-he two by a weldingof the one to theother.

Obviously, in the case of an endless rim, margin or frame welded to its body or inclosure, no movement of the one part with; relation to the other in the plane of the' finished object, such as is required in the case of an ordinary butt-welded joint, is permissible.

One of the objects of my invention is to produce a union which will be as strong and efiicient as would be a butt-welded joint if it were possible to make a true butt-weld between a margin or rim and its center or bod ' ltgy invention is particularly useful inthe manufacture of metal wheels as it permits the union of the tire' or rim section to the wheel center and in the case of car wheels permits the use of a mild steel casting center and a rolled high-grade steel tire or rim,

thereby producing a wheel such that, should the tire section crack, the wheel will be still held together by the welded union of the disk center or body and rim or tire.

My invention, briefly stated, consists in uniting the rim and the disk or other center by forcing a ring or piece of metal into a space between said rim and center while the parts are'heated to plasticity by an electric current, the piece of metal interposed in the space between the rim and disk center being used for completing the circuit between the two while said rim and center are the opposite poles of a circuit carrying weldin or heating current furnished by a wel ing transformer or other source of electric.

energy.

Asfmy invention is primarily intended for constructing metal -wheels such as car wheels, I will describe the same as'applied to the manufacture of such objects.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a general side elevation of a construction of apparatus that might be employed in carrying out the inventionand shows a car 7 car wheel is shown at 1 andthe disk of the center or body at 2. 3- is a support or rest for the center and 4 indicates an annular support preferably made up segmental sections and adapted to clamp or hold the rim firmly against deformation or loss-of circularity. Hydraulically operated. plungers of anydesired number and form indicated at 5 are employed for forcing the metal into the space between-the rim and center while the parts are in plastic condition. The heating of the parts to soften or render the same plastic is preferably effect-- ed by the use of a heatingelectric current.

which may be supplied from-the secondary or secondaries 6' of an annular transformer or transformers, the annular core of a transformer suitable for thepurpose being indicated at 7. One terminal of the secondary 6 which latter-is preferably oflaminated cop er and flexible, is indicated at 8, the latter eing preferably a block of copper upon which the disk 2 rests near its edge. .The opposite terminal of the transformer sec ondary consists of the rest or support 4-01 the segments thereof.- The secondary of the transformer is merely indicated at 9. I

i Blocks 8'are sustained on suitable standards to hold the center 2 firmly when pressure is applied by means of plungers 5 to. the ring of metal 10 to force the same into the space between the rim and center. Pref erabl said ring is a tapered ring completing t e circuit between the rim and center and on the softening of the metal by the welding current is forced downward into the gap and furnishes material for closing up the gap and effecting the weld at the same time between the rim and center After welding, and while hot, the joint is subjected to a final upsetting lateral pressure during cooling and for the purpose of preventing weakening, due to shrinkage or shrinkage cracks; hammering of course might be employed for thesame purpose. This final upsetting lateral pressure after the formation of the weld may be applied by means of a plunger or plungers 5 in a machine such as indicated in Fig. 4, to which the'wheel is quickly transferred after Welding and while hot, to rest on a preferably continuous abutment 11 directly under the welded portion. The part 5 which is by preference a circular abutment, when driven down by hydraulic means, finishes the weld and being applied during cooling, prevents the weakening or cracks referred to. The plungers 5 being of any desired number and each on its face engaging thewheel, may extend circumferentially around the wheel to any desired distance and so that, if a suflicient number of them be used, the whole circumference of the welded'joint may be acted. on at the same time. Similarly, each part of the abutment'typified at 11 may be of any desired dimension circuinferentially of the welded union.

The filling piece 1.0 is preferably tapered and can, as desired, extendaround any secor proportion of the periphery of the center 2 and, as already intimated, it may be acontinucus ring. if made in sections, two sections at least could be put in simultaneously and diametrically opposite, or three sections might be put in 120 apart to maintain the centering. In such case, however, it is very desirable that the exterior of the tire portion 2 be fully supported in a circular support surrounding the same to prevent deformation or loss of circularity. By such segmental welding, however, the process is much slower, though the amount of energy output required is reduced. In any case, it is desirable that the tire or rim be well supported and kept to a circular outline, and that the operation be completed in as short time as practicable to prevent much spreading of heat over the joint. After the welding described, the completed wieel is y" bored out true for its axle. t is, therefore, des' le not to complete the oring operation until i e that, when finished, the completed structure shall run true.

What I claim J invention is: l. The method of welding a rim or marto a center consistinsein applying a .11 o 'lece of metal over restncted peripheral pace around the center and between the and the argin,passingaheatingelecr ic current between the rim and center -.vl1ll6 they are the opposite poles of a circnit and through the piece of metal comp sting the circuit between them and forcsaid metal into the restricted peripheral space when the parts become locally softened or heated to the proper welding temereture,

2. The method of uniting a wheel rim and center consisting in applying a tapered ring over a restricted peripheral space around the center and between the same and the rim, passing a heating electric current from one to the other of the two latter parts and through said tapered ring operating to complete the circuit between them and applying lateral pressure to force the ring into said peripheral space and weld the rim and center together.

3. The method of forming and completing a welded union between a wheel rim and center'consisting in applying a piece of metal over a restricted peripheral space around the center and between the same and the rim to complete a ircuit between them from one to the other, passing a heating electric current from one to the other through said piece of metal and applying lateral welding pressure when said piece of metal and the periphery of said center, together with the inside of the rim, become locally heated to the proper welding temperature by the passage of said current.

4:. The method of uniting a metal wheel rim to its center or body consisting in assembling the wheel and rim in the desired finished relation, the two parts being of proper dimensions to leave a narrow peripheral space between th around the center, laying a piece of metal into said peripheral space to electrically bridge the center and rim, passing a heating electric current from one to the other of said center and rim and through said piece of metal to bring them to the welding temperaturc,-forcing the piece of metal into said space by lateral pressure when the parts reach the proper welding temperature and at the same time supporting said rim and center against lateral displacement b-y the action of the welding pressure.

5. The method of uniting a metal. wheel rim to its center or body consistinfin applying a piece of metal in a narrow eripheral space around the center and etween the same and the rim, passing heating electric current from one to the other of the center and rim and through. said piece of metal to' locally heat the same to welding temperature, forcing the piece of metal into said peripheral space b lateral pressure applied to said piece and subsequently subjecting the joint to lateral pres sure a plied and continued at both sides of the oint to prevent weakening or shrinkage cracks as and for the purpose described.

6. The method of uniting a wheel rim and center consisting in assembling the wheel and rim in finished relation With a narrow peripheral space around the center and between the same and the rim, supporting the rim against deformation in the plane of the finished structure, applying a piece of metal in the said narrow peripheral Signed at Lynn in the county of Essex space, passing a heating electric current and State of Massachusetts, this 11th day from one to the other of the rim and cenof March, A. D. 1910.

ter and through said piece of metal and ELIHU THOMSON. 6 crowding the latter into the space when the Witnesses:

parts are heated locally to theproper weld- J OHN A. MCMANUS, Jn,

ing temperature. ROBERT SHAUD. 

